Yep! No one should ever threaten a judge, but it's obvious that there's a concerted effort to stifle public criticism of liberal judges and rulings.
I don't doubt for a minute that Scalia, Thomas, and other constitutionalist judges get threats. They surely do, and likely more of them than any liberal judge has to put up with. But they don't go public with them, and they wouldn't get any media sympathy if they did.
The media want to create the impression that the "independence" of the judiciary is being threatened by the "far right". It fits into their storyline that President Bush is "packing the court" with "ideologues" such as Roberts & Alito. And those judges who remain "independent" (i.e., render liberal rulings) are feeling "intimidated".
That's where this story originated. And media darling judges know they can get a favorable, sympathetic story by going public with their hostile e-mails. The story will then make the rounds of the liberal blogs and be "planted" into conservative blogs by the usual route.
No one should EVER threaten a judge or even hint of violence. If anyone has done that, then they should be prosecuted. I'm sure threats happen on both sides. But there is clearly an effort by the press to create a "radical right is trying to intimidate judges" storyline, designed to shut down any public opposition to liberal rulings.
This would have been a very successful media campaign a decade ago, but as the dinosaur media decline it may not have the success now that it once would have.
And, ironically enough, Judge Jones.
And those judges who remain "independent" (i.e., render liberal rulings) are feeling "intimidated". That's where this story originated.
Actually, this story originated with the US Marshal's service becoming concerned about the content of certain messages directed to Judge Jones. Somehow, I doubt those messages consisted of mere intellectual disagreement.